Results 3,841-3,860 of 8,482 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is regrettable. I hope that by next year progress will have been made so we do not have a situation where we are trying to create tax incentives for data centres. Given their energy impacts, we need to be very carefully reviewing their role in our economy and environment. I will withdraw the recommendation because of the time constraints and with due respect to other Senators who have...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move recommendation No. 11: In page 94, between lines 14 and 15, to insert the following: “Report on restriction of carrying forward of bank losses 36.The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on policy options which could be taken to restrict banks from carrying forward losses against...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: No, I will wait to hear from my colleague on this side of the House. I may withdraw recommendation No. 11, however, because Senator Gavan's recommendation is more reasonably worded.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This would only be for such loans that have been profitable. The concern is that we underwrite the risk and then we do not take the share of the profits. I understand some of the arguments on the underwriting of risk. For example, I did not oppose the Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Act 2020 in that sense but where the risk is being effectively underwritten by the State and there is profit...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will withdraw.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: To be honest, I doubt that we will reach the recommendation which was most important to me, which related to gender equality issues in private pension tax relief. I can see a lot of important recommendations on the very far side of this and I doubt that we will reach them. I want to reply on two things. First, yes, of course the recovery and resilience fund is really important. I am not...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We cannot do that.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Unfortunately, we are very constrained in relation to this Bill. There are reports. Reports are a way of highlighting and trying to set the agenda on issues. Senator Casey will be well aware that I have no problem proposing amendments to legislation, but I am conscious that on this Bill they will be ruled out of order. I will highlight a recommendation that I will probably not get to...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move recommendation No. 1: 1. In page 3, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following: “Report on engagement with the Commission 2.The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining— (a) engagement the Minister has had with the Commission with regard to remuneration for those employed...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Several points have been raised and prior to the Minister replying I want to add to them. The Oireachtas Library and Research Service has been mentioned. This service is fine for planning a Bill in the long term but if we get an agenda on Thursday that will mean speaking on seven different policy areas on Tuesday, and then we receive phone calls all day Monday about it, they will be dealt...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I want to ask the Minister for clarification on two key points. The Minister has given us, to some degree, his interpretation of the Act but there have been ambiguous interpretations of that Act, including within the process that SIPTU has been engaging with. There has been some sense that the human resources department has to go and talk to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Apologies, and just to belabour the point, the Minister's understanding of the legislation is that the members of the commission are empowered to develop a proposal and to bring that to him. Is that correct?

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The commission will bring the proposal to the Minister, rather than-----

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Given the Minister's commitment to come back here within the next six months, I do not think we need to press the recommendation at this time.

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move recommendation No. 2: In page 3, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following: “Report on the Scheme for Secretarial Assistance 2.The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining— (a) the work responsibilities of those employed under the Scheme for Secretarial Assistance in Seanad...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move recommendation No. 3: In page 3, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following: “Report on the operation of the Scheme for Secretarial Assistance 2.The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before the Committee on Parliamentary Procedures and Oversight outlining a cost benefit analysis in respect of the introduction of the parliamentary...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ombudsman and Information Commissioner: Commissioner Designate (9 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank Mr. Deering. I would like to speak to a number of the cross-cutting areas and then I will finish with a number of specific issues I hope Mr. Deering might consider. I am sure there are many issues coming his way. A concern I have heard a lot from very different areas and places is in regard to the information component of Mr. Deering's role, including that in the move to gov.iea...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ombudsman and Information Commissioner: Commissioner Designate (9 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The area of gov.ieis one that might need work in terms of that argument. Mr. Deering mentioned that he will be focusing on information that will be public information. However, I believe that in his role as Ombudsman there is other information that he should or might need to have access to, including in regard to tendering and commercial sensitives. I am conscious that there are areas, for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ombudsman and Information Commissioner: Commissioner Designate (9 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I congratulate Mr. Deering and look forward to his service in this important role. I begin by acknowledging his predecessor, Mr. Tyndall. I also sit on the Joint Committee on Disability Matters and we recently had a strong engagement with Mr. Tyndall in respect of his report on those aged under 65 being placed in nursing homes and the very incremental movement on that. I would like Mr....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ombudsman and Information Commissioner: Commissioner Designate (9 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On procurement, Mr. Deering might follow up on another point to confirm that he can investigate procured services as well as direct services.